Keeper Tomas Holy joined Port Vale on loan for the rest of the season earlier today and manager Kieran McKenna says the big Czech has moved as he wanted to return to being first-choice having been on the fringes at Town this season.
Holy, 30, joined the Blues in the summer of 2019 after leaving Gillingham and for much of his first two seasons at Town was the number one, making a total of 65 appearances.
However, his only involvement with Town this season has been in the cups, while he spent a seven-day emergency loan spell at Cambridge in October where he played two league games.
McKenna was asked whether, with Holy’s contract up in the summer, he has played his last football at Town.
"I think you can never say never in football. Situations can change, and injuries and a whole host of things can happen,” McKenna said.
"But at the moment, he is in the last year of his contract, he’s had a few good years here and obviously played quite a few games in the early part and is well thought of by everyone here.
"We hope he goes on and has a good spell now, plays some games and I know Tomas is really keen to get back playing games and being a regular and being a first-choice somewhere. So, hopefully, this is a good chance for him to do that.”
A week ago Town recalled 20-year-old Bert White from his loan spell at Southern League Gosport Borough as cover with Holy’s departure having been under discussion.
"Bert’s been in training with us and has done well,” McKenna continued. "We feel that we have two very good goalkeepers in Christian [Walton] and Vas [Vaclav Hladky], who we have a lot of faith in, two robust lads as well, physically and mentally.
"Bert’s obviously been out and had some experience, has been training with the group now for probably a month because even when he was on loan he’s been in training with us, so he knows the group, knows the players, the players know him, everyone’s comfortable with him and we’re comfortable having him around the squad.”